Air India ceased all flights to and from Imphal’s Bir Tikendrajit International Airport on Sunday, June 15, 2025, marking an official end to its operations there.
TFM Report
Air India, India’s national carrier, has officially terminated its operations to and from Imphal, Manipur, concluding an aviation legacy spanning over 60 years. The final flight, an Airbus A319, departed Bir Tikendrajit International Airport on Sunday, severing a connection established in the early 1960s.
The cessation aligns with Air India’s comprehensive route restructuring under the Tata Group, which acquired the airline from the government in January 2022. As part of its operational consolidation, Air India is strategically trimming services to Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities nationwide. Air India Express, its low-cost subsidiary, is poised to absorb select vacated routes, though specific plans for Imphal remain unconfirmed.
Historically, Imphal’s domestic connectivity was anchored by Indian Airlines—pre-merger with Air India in 2007—which managed most Northeastern routes while Air India focused internationally. Post-merger, the unified entity continued serving Imphal, maintaining a critical link for a region perennially under-served by major aviation players.
A senior airline official reiterated that fleet optimization and route viability drove the decision. “We are working on expanding Air India Express’s domestic footprint. The Northeast remains important, and we will assess options to reconnect Imphal in the near future,” the official stated, underscoring the possibility of future reinstatement. However, another source also informed that the Tata Group may continue to serve Imphal through Air India Express, its low-cost carrier and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Air India.
For Imphal’s aviation community, the final departure carried profound symbolism. Norris Haobam is an aviation photographer based in Imphal and an active contributor at JetPhotos.com. With over six years of experience, he captures aircraft movements not only in Manipur but also across regional and national airports, documenting India’s evolving aviation landscape through his lens. Haobam, who documented the last Air India June 15 flight, lamented, “It’s hard to imagine Imphal airport without an Air India aircraft. It’s the end of a legacy.” The exit leaves a void for loyal passengers and marks the close of an era for Manipur’s air connectivity.